Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm as Opposition demands Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation before NEET debate

RS Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar conducts proceedings. Pic/PTI

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Thursday as Opposition parties continued to insist on Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation before starting a discussion on the NEET paper leak issue.

As soon as the House reassembled at 12 pm, after being first adjourned around 11 am, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a statement from the government on Education Minister Pradhan's resignation.

He said many students are in hospital due to a police lathicharge and that their parents are extremely disturbed.

He added that the Opposition is ready for a discussion, provided Pradhan resigns first.

"Until he resigns, discussion will not start," Kharge said.

Responding to Kharge, Leader of the House J P Nadda said the Opposition's behaviour was highly irresponsible.

"They neither want any discussion nor let the House function. First, they told us to discuss the paper leak, and the government said we would discuss NEET and all other issues," Nadda said, as the Chairman, C P Radhakrishnan, adjourned the House till 2 pm.

Earlier, when the House proceedings began at 11 am, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government was ready for a discussion on NEET on Thursday itself and the Opposition should not put any condition for holding the debate.

However, Kharge said Pradhan has to resign first before any discussion on the issue can take place.

As both sides continued sloganeering, Radhakrishnan adjourned the House till 12 noon.

Parliament has seen repeated adjournments since the monsoon session commenced on Monday.

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